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Mumbai News: Union Commerce and Industry Minister and Mumbai North MP Piyush Goyal on Sunday announced that heavy vehicles will soon be prohibited from using the Western Express Highway (WEH) during peak hours to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. He also said that 79 public toilets located along the highway will be repaired and made fully functional in the coming weeks.

The announcement came after Goyal chaired a five-hour-long review meeting with senior officials from various government agencies in Borivali West. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Mumbai Police, the Traffic Police, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and other civic departments.

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Meeting Held With Top Civic And Police Officials

The Hindustan Times report cited an official who attended the meeting as stating that, “The minister was disappointed as he was unable to find a public toilet along the highway. So he started the meeting by talking about the need for good, hygienic and usable public toilets on city roads.”

Goyal later told reporters that a focused drive would be launched to identify issues with the existing toilets. “Availability of land for building toilet blocks along the highway is an issue. So, I have asked the authorities to examine the possibility of having elevated toilets,” he said.

Out of the 79 toilets along WEH, 58 are undergoing major repairs while the remaining 21 are being renovated. The minister confirmed that all toilets will soon be operational, with private agencies responsible for maintenance and cleanliness.

Metro Vehicles To Be Marked, Garbage Trucks Allowed

On the traffic front, Goyal said that heavy vehicles, except those belonging to the MMRDA and BMC, will be restricted from the WEH during rush hours. “I have been informed that there are 108 heavy vehicles that are used for various metro works. I have asked the MMRDA to put up large stickers to identify these vehicles. Apart from these vehicles, the BMC’s garbage trucks will be permitted on the highway during peak hours. All other heavy vehicles will be banned,” he stated.

He added that traffic police have been instructed to implement the ban after completing all formal procedures. Three major bottlenecks on the highway have also been identified and will be addressed soon.

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Coastal Road Work And Twin Tunnel Project Expedited

Goyal further mentioned that pending issues related to the Coastal Road project, including land transfers and coastal zone permissions, had been resolved. “Future extensions of the Coastal Road are planned up to Dahisar and Virar. Work on the Madh–Versova bridge has also been expedited and work on the Borivali–Thane twin tunnel project is expected to commence within two months,” he said.

Pipeline Repairs And Lake Rejuvenation Ordered

During the meeting, Goyal also directed officials to inspect all water pipelines in northwestern suburbs for leaks by the end of the month and to rejuvenate ten lakes through desilting and beautification projects.

He instructed SRA and BMC to blacklist developers delaying flat handovers or occupancy certificates and to take strict action against those encroaching on mangroves or dumping illegally. “If garbage heaps are seen anywhere in North Mumbai, municipal officers will be held responsible,” he warned, adding that awareness campaigns on cleanliness will soon be launched with support from non-profit groups.

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